Friday 25 March 2011

Wearing it like a viking.


Snowy day outfit and a tutorial on how to capture that Icelandic style. Of course number one thing you need to do is grow into 180+++cm in height, add some curves and long hair, but if you'd rather start easy this is what you need to know:

A: Icelandic women keep their hair most often either open or in a loose bun. Whatever you decide to do with it, take into consideration that it better be 100% weather proof because I can promise you no hairdo will stay untouched once you take a step outside.

B: The sweater is a bit of a touristy thing but lately it has gained popularity especially among the young Icelanders (the old ones wear them too but don't think they're being hip). It's still relatively easy to tell tourists apart from the locals, based on the sweater: tourists wear brand new sweaters with the patterns one can find in the knitters' booths at Kolaportið. Icelanders' sweaters have usually seen some action and at least one attack by sheep that recognized it as theirs.

C: Show them legs. How sad that most locals have more to show than me but BOBDAMNIT one day I'll give them a run for their money! Nnnngh I can still grow 20 cm I can I can...
By the way, this part cannot be skipped for any minor detail such as a blizzard, freezing cold or a hurricane outside. Miniskirt it has to be, if not then hotpants, coupled with tights. My skirt there is actually too long but I guess I could be forgiven because I'm a foreigner.

D: This one is a bit bizarre, but it's very usual to have pointy bits hanging down your sides. This effect can be made with a coat, shirt, dress or a skirt or even a scarf, or any combination of them. 
The coat can be either black, black or black, or possibly as dark grey as you can find. Preferably dark enough to be taken for black.

E: Rubber boots equal shoes and can be worn anywhere regardless of the situation or weather (mine are fabulous btw). I once came across a waitress in a hotel restaurant who was strutting elegantly in her navy&mauve pair and this was not considered odd in the least. The other option you have for shoes is something extremely extravagant, with as many colours as possible and heels that add a further 20 cm to your height. No really, towering is the first adjective that comes to mind if I try to explain how the grand majority of Icelanders look like, everyone's so freaking tall!

With shoes it's the same as with miniskirts: no reason is good enough to variate too much from the options given. I've seen such amazingly skillful trots over mirror smooth ice on daringly high heels that I've grown a new level of admiration for people who can really walk on beautiful shoes.


And because the weekend is almost here, here's a little something by Páll Óskar to get you in the mood! The song's called "Gordjöss" and non-Icelandic speakers can have a bit of a game of trying to guess how it's pronounced before listening to it. The most daring can try to sing along the chorus:

Það geta ekki allir verið gordjöss
Það geta ekki allir verið töff
Það geta ekki allir orðið fabílos
Eins og ég
Það geta ekki allir verið gordjöss
Það geta ekki allir meikað það
Eins og ég

Have fun!

6 comments:

  1. ahahah like! Makes me feel all fabulous being tall and Icelandic ;)
    ..also, refreshing to see how we appear to foreigners, we´ve kind of lost perspective on our weirdness.

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  2. DUUUUUUUUDE I SHOULD HAVE USED YOUR PHOTO TO ILLUSTRATE THIS WHY DID I NOT THINK -

    Because seriously, it's like every bit of the description matches you except perhaps for the sweater - cannot remember ever seeing you in one. I also can't remember what your coat is like but I'm willing to bet it's black.

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  3. ahahah yeah... it´s black :P shit. I kind of feel silly being so bloody stereotypical!

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  4. *FISTPUMP*

    I looooooooove the feeling of being right.

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  5. *changes style and wears only green from now on. Only. Like Karen. But not blue. Green.*

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  6. Can't wait to see your new make-up style now. :3

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